A Tale of Two Jean Greys: X-Men ’97 Episode 3 Recap

Something sinister this way comes … and it was cooked up in a laboratory! The third episode of Marvel’s X-Men ’97 continues the high-stakes, high-drama X-Men nostalgia ignited by the series premiere. After a week of waiting, countless fan theories are confirmed in an inferno of righteous fury.

But before we get there, we must start at the beginning. Here’s your X-Men ’97 episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh,” recap and review. Horror fans and comic book fans, our time is now.

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Uncovering the Jean Grey Mystery

At the episode’s start, Beast is running some tests on the second Jean Grey. The Jean Grey we’ve already met puts her hand on the new Jean’s, getting glimpses of Sleeping Jean’s memories — except every image of Jean Grey in those memories does not have a face. It appears as if she has escaped some sort of laboratory. Suddenly, a red diamond flashes across Awake Jean’s forehead, snapping her out of the psychic connection.

Ever the helpful teammate, Morph dubs the Sleeping Jean as “Jean Doe” before morphing into Spiral. Beast uses carbon dating to figure out that Jean Doe is the real Jean according to her molecular age while Awake Jean is actually, as Magneto points out, a clone. Confused yet? Well, so is Scott, who does not speak up to defend the woman who gave birth to their child. Awake (Fake?) Jean leaves the room after saying, “Storm would have believed me.”

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Mommy’s Busy

Using a genetic sample, Beast figures out who’s behind the cloning. Elsewhere, Scott tries to console Fake Jean but she’s hurt by his lack of trust. Even more so, his lack of belief in his wife. Jean tells him to leave but once she’s alone, a rasping, sinister voice crackles over the baby monitor. The voice asks whether Jean wants answers.

From within the shadows, Mr. Sinister reveals himself to this Jean Grey and confirms she was made by him. She renounces having anything to do with him but Sinister enacts his control over his creation. In a stunning transformation, her psychic signature changes color from blue to purple and green. Full of rage, she smashes all of Sleeping Jean’s photographs and crafts a sleek black costume. As a red diamond shines across her forehead, she vows to show the X-Men her inferno. Madelyne Pryor is here!

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Stamina Training

As they exit the Danger Room, Morph teases Gambit about the training schedule. Multiple sessions later on are booked by Rogue and Magneto, especially late at night. Gambit is extremely bothered but he’s distracted by a green glowing light from a bedroom. He peeks inside to see Rogue and Magneto in a skin-melting embrace, wearing their Savage Lands outfits.

Meanwhile, Roberto Da Costa and Jubilee watch a horror flick together. Suddenly the characters on the screen reach out to attack the two teenagers before Jubilee blasts them with fireworks. Over in the showers, Morph (who was brainwashed by Sinister in X-Men: The Animated Series), encounters their own haunting Sinister apparition. Likewise, Sinister sends a hallucination of Shard, Bishop’s sister, to guilt him about leaving her behind and a warped Professor X taunts Cyclops. Mr. Sinister is preying upon the X-Men’s deepest fears.

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Burn, Mutants!

With a fiery blast, the X-Men are thrust downward through the bowels of the mansion. They reach a hellish arena filled with flying creatures. An inferno rages all around them as they struggle to battle against the fierce demons.

Bishop tells Cyclops to light him up, and Cyclops fires away so Bishop can absorb extra blasting ammo. He quips, “Time for an exorcism, punks!” But even this epic blast isn’t enough. A terrifying Demonic Sentinel rises up and all appears lost for the X-Men.

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Say My Name, Scott

Fortunately, Jean Grey swoops in with a mighty “Enough!” Judging by the blue power signature, this is Sleeping Jean who has woken up. Her power dispels the infernal foes but back in the mansion she does her trademark ’90s faint. We love a consistent queen.

A nearby voice sneers that she’s pathetic. Fake Jean proclaims she’s beyond the X-Men now. “I am scorn and fury, forged in righteous brimstone. I am the Goblin Queen.”

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A Surgical Strike on Sinister

After the Goblin Queen departs, the actual Rogue and Magneto return to the mansion. Morph dwells on their history with Mr. Sinister, showing their ’90s cartoon face. Real Jean is back in a comatose state.

Scott is frustrated with the lack of clarity and lashes out. Magneto proposes a strike against Sinister, with Morph leading them to the villain’s location.

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Random Writhing Chance

While Morph leads the X-Men to Mr. Sinister’s evil lair, the mad scientist works inside on Nathan Summers. With the child of Scott and Jean’s clone, Sinister can tap into the baby’s unlimited mutant potential. He drops Nathan into a vat of green liquid and laughs maniacally, as super-villains are wont to do.

Once they enter Sinister’s castle, the X-Men stumble upon the Goblin Queen. She taunts Scott before blasting him against the wall. Morph changes into Magik but even Ilyana’s Soulsword is no match for the Goblin Queen. One touch to the forehead and Morph is under her sway, transformed into Darkchylde and fighting for their Queen. Morph’s abilities are the perfect way to bring back the high-profile cameos of the original series — plus, it’s a chance to see fan-favorite mutants who aren’t on the current roster.

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Brimstone Clone vs Mere Metal

Just as episode 2 featured an absolutely epic battle between Storm and the Sentinels, this time around we get the Goblin Queen against Magneto. In this cartoon canon, we don’t often get to see any version of Jean extend the true potential of her telekinesis, but this battle is beyond anything we’ve seen before.

Shards of stained glass pummel Magneto as he struggles to contain the Goblin Queen. Force fields clash and egos are bruised. While the Master of Magnetism puts up a good fight, the Goblin Queen points out he’s merely a villain playing dress-up as a hero. And playtime’s over. Well, maybe there’s time for one naughty kiss between the Goblin Queen and Cyclops. Don’t tell Jean.

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Pain in the Astral Plane

Back at the mansion, Logan struggles to help Jean control her powers. The voices are all too much. She feels her team’s pain everywhere. Just as Logan manages to breakthrough with Jean, she senses the Goblin Queen’s attacks.

Suddenly, Jean sits up in bed. She ties her hair back in her ’90s ponytail and sends her mind to confront the Goblin Queen on the Astral Plane. Jean swipes away the Queen’s attacks, turning them into tiny birds of flame. The Queen protests that she once held the power of the Phoenix too, but Jean urges her to remember beyond the power.

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We Are What We Remember

These two psychic powerhouses struggle against each other, sifting through their shared memories. Jean remembers the day she met Professor X. Tiny Jean Grey, holding a stuffed cyclops plushie, was comforted to know she wasn’t the only one. But she also remembers the day her best friend died, and how her gifts were awakened through trauma. The Queen takes advantage of this brief moment to overpower Jean.

For a second, the Goblin Queen has the upper hand. She questions which woman is the true holder of their memories. Undeterred, Jean’s psyche pushes through and reminds the Queen of Nathan’s birth. That special memory, the birth of her son, is something that belongs to her and her alone. By taking ownership of this memory, Sinister’s hold over the Goblin Queen is broken. The red diamond shatters.

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Fly Away Home

The Goblin Queen and Cyclops save their son from Mr. Sinister, but it’s too late. He’s already infected Nathan with a rapidly spreading Techno-Organic Virus. Beast is unable to decipher a cure but Nathan’s mom suggests that Bishop takes the baby with him back to the future. Perhaps a cure can be found there.

Bishop assures her that he knows a guy who can build anything. Scott is in anguish since he feels like he’s abandoning his son. He doesn’t agree with the plan and leaves the room while Jean’s clone silently watches, knowing that same pain Scott feels.

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The Best Possible Future

Nathan’s mother says goodbye to her son. She imparts a psychic goodbye message, pouring all of her heart and soul into words that will stay with baby Nathan as he travels to the future with Bishop.

Later, she walks out the gates of the mansion. She’s finally leaving for good. The original Jean runs to catch up, and urges her to stay. But Sinister’s Jean says neither of them can be sure when exactly they were switched. Whose memories belong to whom? With a new name, Madelyne Pryor sets off on her own path.

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In two short clips, the third episode also hints at what’s to come next. The original Jean Grey walks into Scott’s room. They face each other, unsure how to proceed. Meanwhile, in a dive bar, Storm is approached by a man who knows her powerful past. Introducing himself as a friend of Charles Xavier, Forge offers to help Storm regain what she’s lost.

Do you trust Forge? Is Mr. Sinister gone for good? Join the conversation with other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!